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Spring is here and as the weather gets warmer, it’s hard not to get self-conscious about shedding those remaining winter pounds–particularly as we wear less clothing to accommodate the increasing temperature outside. These tried-and-true tips will help you ‘spring’ out of your winter body and embrace the weather outside.

Remember to ShareWhen you go out to eat, ask the server to have your order split in the kitchen. That way, you don’t have to go through the process of splitting the meal yourself. It will come out looking like a complete serving. And by the time the food gets to you, you’ll have forgotten you had it split. By sharing the meal, you just cut your caloric intake by 50 percent. And your wallet isn’t complaining either. Cha-ching.

Cut Out SugarI’m doing a little experiment with this one. I challenged myself to eliminate sugar completely from my diet for seven days. The idea behind it is to bring into consciousness just how much sugar I consume and then cut it back. I’m psychologically prepping myself to cut way back if not completely. I noticed a benefit I hadn’t planned on: I’ve lost three pounds and I’m only on Day 5!

Cut Out AlcoholIf you want to lose a few pounds, then you have to make the food and drink you consume matter. Sure, having a couple beers or cocktails is a fun way to unwind, but they are laden with empty calories–calories that contain nothing nutritious. And lots of sugar! Besides giving my body a break on some empty calories, once again, my wallet catches a break too. I’ve noticed restaurant bills are a LOT lighter without drinks on the tab.

Add Foods, Don’t Take AwayIf you think I’m contradicting myself, that’s not the case. Sugar and alcohol aren’t real food. I’m talking about adding in some good stuff like fresh veggies and fruit. It’s spring, after all, and fresh fruit and vegetables are bountiful. Why not try a new green vegetable you’ve haven’t heard of? Spring is the perfect time to experiment with all the new and healthy varieties of fruit and vegetables that are out there. Plus, if you really pay attention to your body, you’ll notice that it’s happier eating lighter and ‘springy’ foods.

Think ‘Fun’ vs. Working OutWhat physical activities do you really and truly enjoy doing: dancing, inline skating, tennis, or maybe surfing? If it’s something that involves being outside, then perfect! Now is the ideal time to get out and do what you love. Maybe you’ve been thinking of trying something new… then go for it! Nothing beats shedding pounds when you’re having fun doing it!

HydrateOne of the tried and true ways to ensure weight loss is to keep hydrated. Especially now that it’s getting warmer out, it’s much easier to think that you’re hungry, when in fact you’re thirsty. Plus, staying hydrated keeps you full longer. If you have a glass of water before you eat (your shared meal), you won’t feel the need to eat as much.

Garden!Do you have space for a garden or do you already have one going? Gardeing is hard work. You can burn lots of calories by prepping, planting, and watering a garden, or clearing it of weeds. Being able to enjoy something that you grew with your own hands is an additional reward. The trickle-down effect of having your own garden is that you will feel more inclined to eat healthier foods in general, which contributes to weight loss. It could become an entire lifestyle!

Keep Your WordFirst things first: If you’re not someone who thinks about and keeps promises or agreements you’ve made, then you need to become one. Tell all your friends and family about your weight loss goal. This way you’ve made it public. Now you’ll have to stay accountable to yourself and to your friends and lose those few pounds that you want to for spring.

Eat Your VeggiesYour mom was right. You do need to eat your veggies. It also helps when you eat your veggies too. If you eat them before the rest of the meal, you’ll be filling up on the good stuff and less likely to eat bread or other fattening foods.

Strength TrainYou need to work on your muscles (and you don’t need big buff ones!) in order to burn calories. In order to tone up, you’ve got to make your muscles work. If you don’t have strength training as part of your workout routine, it’s time to plug some in. Free weights or resistance training are a couple of good examples of strength training.

It’s Pretty Out…So take a walk! Sound too boring? Then invite a friend, family or neighbor to walk with you. Your invitation will brighten their day. And you burn even more calories by talking as you walk, along with getting to know someone in your life a little better. Daily walks may become a thing that you do frequently together and frequent walks = weight loss. Add in telling your walking buddy about your spring weight loss goal and you may inspire someone else to join you in getting healthier!

I hope you have a lot of fun as you experiment with these spring weight loss tips. Let me know how it’s going if you decide to try any or all of them. Good luck!

Pure Matters Tip of the Day: Try Pure Matters Be Lean to support healthy weight management and help maintain lean body mass.

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